Evaluering
Laying the Foundation for Micro Enterprise Development in South Sudan Final Evaluation Report
The Laying the Foundation for Micro-enterprise Development in Southern Sudan, brought together 6 organizations into a partnership to implement a pilot programme of perhaps the very first MED programme in the whole of the Southern Sudan. Two partners SlovakAid and Strømme Foundation provided financial support while two others: Integra Foundation and Economic Projects Trust Fund took over the management roles while World Concern and World Relief shared in the implementation and logistical support respectively. The programme was implemented in Lietnhom, is a small rural community centre serving approximately 25,000 to 30,000 people spread out in villages in Gogrial East. In the past, Gogrial as a whole was negatively affected by the scorched earth approach used in the Sudan conflict in the 1990s. Many communities were displaced, villages razed and destruction of infrastructure, disruption of all social services ensued and economic activities stalled. After the ceasefire in 2002, communities began to settle back in Gogrial. Local hostilities ceased for most of 2003 and 2004. During that time World Relief and Strømme Foundation conducted a baseline survey on the potential for MFI interventions. It was found that there was potential and that communities have an interests to undertake such activities. Some of the key needs identified were access to credit, sources of goods, infrastructure, organization and skills training. Implementation of the programme started in September 2005 directly targeting 200 beneficiaries in Lietnhom, majority of whom engaged in small trade businesses.